Hard Day Harvey Canyon in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT

Canyoneer Hard Day Harvey Canyon Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT

Class 3 3B R- (50 ft max) 5.8 miles 1300 gain 7-10 hrs Loop Apr 10, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Hard Day Harvey Canyon GPX Track

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This is a technical canyon. If you are unfamiliar with how to build anchors or the gear required for canyoneering do not attempt this route.

Hard Day Harvey was our group's favorite canyon in the Ticaboo area we've completed. It's long and scenic, and the opportunities for enjoyable stemming and obstacles feel endless. We were surprised at how long the canyon lasted, certain we'd be reaching the end once it would open up temporarily, and then the canyon would narrow again and the fun continued. Although the canyon is pretty, it's more about the obstacles than the beauty. To reach the trailhead, we turned off UT-276 here (37.69713, -110.67133) and followed this dirt road to the rim. The road starts in great shape, but a few miles in high-clearance becomes required. There are a couple of rocky sections, but overall it's just some dips and bumps that will stop sedans. The last couple of miles were easy dirt with some humps.

We started southwest into an obvious drainage that quickly introduced the first rappel, a short drop off the rim. The route continued through a wash for a long time before teasing us with a couple of short sections of narrows. To be honest, the canyon's wiggles kind of all blended together, but expect lots of typical canyon obstacles and down-climbs mixed with short rappels for the majority of the route. I rated Hard Day Harvey "R-" because of a couple of very skinny sections that could give bigger (or claustrophoic) people some difficulty.  Additionally, a few sections require slightly higher stemming than a beginner canyoneer might enjoy. The canyon did seem to progressively get more difficult, and not because we got tired; some down-climbs may introduce the need for a handline or partner assist.

The final rappel was an uneventful drop just past the confluence of Good Day Jim Canyon. We continued for a while through non-technical wash terrain until we were stopped by a cliff at the top of a spring, marked by trees below. We kept to the right on a social trail and located a Class 3 weakness on the right. From below the route might be daunting, but the boulders and slickrock seemed to lead us in the right direction naturally. Cairns helped somewhat as well. We got to the top of the weakness and continue north on easy, gorgeous slickrock for about a mile until we reached the base of a cliff. We kept to the right of this cliff on a social trail and headed north, keeping to the right of the cliff base. I think it might be easier if you ascend to the left when you can, but we just stayed on the social trail as it brought us into a drainage and were eventually stopped by a cliff, where a Class 3 upclimb on the right brought us out of the drainage and up to the desert above. Some wandering led out to the dirt road and back to the trailhead.

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Starting into the drainage from the trailhead.
Starting into the drainage from the trailhead.
First rappel to get off the rim.
First rappel to get off the rim.
After some wash walking and quick snippets of narrows, we eventually made it into the meat of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
After some wash walking and quick snippets of narrows, we eventually made it into the meat of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
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We were pretty much immediately greeted by lots of stemming.
We were pretty much immediately greeted by lots of stemming.
And of course some fun down-climbs.
And of course some fun down-climbs.
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The floor of the canyon was generally more narrow than a few feet higher up, so we mostly stemmed to avoid additional battering to our arms and shoulders.
The floor of the canyon was generally more narrow than a few feet higher up, so we mostly stemmed to avoid additional battering to our arms and shoulders.
Heading down deeper into Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
Heading down deeper into Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
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Some minor obstacles at first, which seemed to progressively get more difficult as the canyon continued.
Some minor obstacles at first, which seemed to progressively get more difficult as the canyon continued.
A partner assist section.
A partner assist section.
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It was slow-moving due to how narrow much of Hard Day Harvey Canyon was.
It was slow-moving due to how narrow much of Hard Day Harvey Canyon was.
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A fun talus cave avoids a rappel. Dan (red helmet, bottom right) is heading down the talus cave. Chris (top left) is inspecting the rappel in case the talus cave didn't go through, but it did.
A fun talus cave avoids a rappel. Dan (red helmet, bottom right) is heading down the talus cave. Chris (top left) is inspecting the rappel in case the talus cave didn't go through, but it did.
Within the talus cave.
Within the talus cave.
Short rappel.
Short rappel.
Difficult climb out of a dry pothole.
Difficult climb out of a dry pothole.
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More open section, a nice reprieve from the constant stemming and narrow slot.
More open section, a nice reprieve from the constant stemming and narrow slot.
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A difficult chimney down-climb.
A difficult chimney down-climb.
The crux of the canyon, in my opinion. Tanner is seen squeezing through a very narrow section of the canyon, but at the same time ascending. He and I both had a little trouble (wider chests lol) wiggling through.
The crux of the canyon, in my opinion. Tanner is seen squeezing through a very narrow section of the canyon, but at the same time ascending. He and I both had a little trouble (wider chests lol) wiggling through.
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End of the narrows.
End of the narrows.
Some fun potholes (dry on our visit) as we neared the end of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
Some fun potholes (dry on our visit) as we neared the end of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
A fun downclimb into a pothole.
A fun downclimb into a pothole.
An almost identical pothole a few feet past the previously pictured one.
An almost identical pothole a few feet past the previously pictured one.
Nearing the junction of Hard Day Harvey Canyon and Good Day Jim Canyon.
Nearing the junction of Hard Day Harvey Canyon and Good Day Jim Canyon.
Final rappel.
Final rappel.
Continuing through the narrow, but not technical, ending of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
Continuing through the narrow, but not technical, ending of Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
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Hard Day Harvey Canyon begins to widen.
Hard Day Harvey Canyon begins to widen.
View back into Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
View back into Hard Day Harvey Canyon.
We were stopped by this small cliff. We avoided it on the right via a social trail.
We were stopped by this small cliff. We avoided it on the right via a social trail.
View back toward Hard Day Harvey Canyon. The cliff we are avoiding visible center.
View back toward Hard Day Harvey Canyon. The cliff we are avoiding visible center.
After following the social trail, we located the escape route, Class 3. You can see Dan on the left heading to some Class 2/3 loose rock. Above this was some navigating around the slickrock.
After following the social trail, we located the escape route, Class 3. You can see Dan on the left heading to some Class 2/3 loose rock. Above this was some navigating around the slickrock.
Class 2/3 stuff.
Class 2/3 stuff.
View back down as we progress.
View back down as we progress.
Close-up as we make it much higher along the escape route, Lake Powell visible top.
Close-up as we make it much higher along the escape route, Lake Powell visible top.
Slickrock landscape for a couple of miles. Henry Mountains visible top.
Slickrock landscape for a couple of miles. Henry Mountains visible top.
Beautiful slickrock.
Beautiful slickrock.
View back along the slickrock wonderland.
View back along the slickrock wonderland.
We reached this cliff, keeping right around it.
We reached this cliff, keeping right around it.
A social trail that followed the base of the previously mentioned cliff. Eventually we ended up in a drainage.
A social trail that followed the base of the previously mentioned cliff. Eventually we ended up in a drainage.
We escaped the drainage via Class 3 slabs on the right (east) side of the drainage. From above the slab, we navigated the open desert back to the trailhead.
We escaped the drainage via Class 3 slabs on the right (east) side of the drainage. From above the slab, we navigated the open desert back to the trailhead.

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